Print Report

A2061 Ammophila arenaria Coastal Dunegrass Ruderal Grassland Alliance

Type Concept Sentence: This alliance is dominated by non-native beachgrasses Ammophila arenaria and Ammophila breviligulata and occurs on shifting sands of outer coastal dunes and other sandy areas at sea level from California to Washington and likely British Columbia.

Common (Translated Scientific) Name: European Beachgrass Coastal Dunegrass Ruderal Grassland Alliance

Colloquial Name: Ruderal Coastal Dunegrass Grassland

Hierarchy Level:  Alliance

Type Concept: This alliance occurs on shifting sands of outer coastal dunes and other sandy areas at sea level from California to Washington and likely British Columbia. These dune systems have been modified by the introduction of non-native beachgrasses Ammophila arenaria and Ammophila breviligulata or are restoration areas of planted Leymus mollis ssp. mollis (native dunegrass). Additional non-native species such as Holcus lanatus can be codominant with the dunegrass. Other non-native species may also be present, including Bromus diandrus, Cirsium vulgare, Poa pratensis, and Rumex acetosella. Native herbaceous species that may be present but with low abundance include Abronia latifolia, Cakile spp., Galium aparine, Lathyrus littoralis, Poa macrantha, and Pteridium aquilinum. Sparsely scattered shrubs and trees may also occur, particularly near the landward edge, including Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Arctostaphylos columbiana, Gaultheria shallon, Ledum glandulosum, Lonicera involucrata, Pinus contorta, Rosa nutkana, Rubus ursinus, and Salix hookeriana. Colonization of active sand dunes by introduced species or by restoration planting of native dunegrass has resulted in an increase in the area of stabilized dunes, in some cases more than the historic extent. Substrates are entirely eolian sands without horizon development or accumulated organic material.

Diagnostic Characteristics: This alliance is characterized by semi-natural stands of the introduced grass Ammophila arenaria occupying sand dunes of the Pacific Northwest. Native species may be present, but at low abundance.

Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available

Classification Comments: This alliance is dominated by a species not native to western North America. Ammophila arenaria is native to Europe and has been widely planted on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America. It has become naturalized and forms a dominant vegetation type along the Pacific Coast from San Francisco Bay to southwestern Washington. The planting of the native and non-native dunegrass has increased the area of stabilized dunes far beyond historic extents (J. Kagan pers. comm. 2012). There is quantitative plot data for this type on file at the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB unpubl. data 2012).

Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: This vegetation is typically a sparse to dense (10-80% cover) rhizomatous grassland. Scattered forbs, shrubs, and young trees may be present, but do not exceed 10% cover.

Floristics: This alliance is dominated by medium-tall graminoids, which range in cover from dense to very open (down to 10% cover) on coastal dunes and sand deposits. These sites have been modified by the introduction of non-native beachgrasses Ammophila arenaria and Ammophila breviligulata or are restoration plantings of Leymus mollis ssp. mollis (native dunegrass) often with Holcus lanatus codominant, in sizes exceeding that of historic occurrences. This alliance also includes recently disturbed coastal sand deposits such as beach areas of American Camp on San Juan National Historical Park, and may be dominated by a variety of non-native ruderal species such as Bromus sterilis, Cirsium arvense, and Teesdalia nudicaulis. In addition, a variety of invasive annual and perennial species, such as Agrostis capillaris, Bromus diandrus, Daucus carota, Erodium cicutarium, Hypochaeris radicata, Poa pratensis, Rumex acetosella, Senecio jacobaea, Sisymbrium altissimum, Sonchus asper, Taraxacum officinale, Trifolium dubium, Vicia sativa, and Vulpia bromoides (= Festuca bromoides), may also be present. Associated native herbaceous species that may occur with low abundance within this alliance include Abronia latifolia, Bromus sitchensis, Cakile spp., Galium aparine, Lathyrus littoralis, Poa macrantha, and Pteridium aquilinum. Sparsely scattered shrubs and trees may also occur, particularly near the landward edge, including native species such as Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Arctostaphylos columbiana, Gaultheria shallon, Ledum glandulosum, Lonicera involucrata, Pinus contorta, Rosa nutkana, Rubus ursinus, and Salix hookeriana.

Dynamics:  Ammophila arenaria is native to Europe and was introduced to stabilize dunes in the 1880s. It rapidly naturalized and became dominant over much of the northern Pacific Coast. Dense stands of Ammophila created steep foredunes, a landform which was rare in the region prior to 1930 (Wiedemann 1966). Native foredune and strand communities are threatened by expansion of this vegetation (Barbour and Major 1977). This ruderal type is found in areas that have experienced recent soil disturbance of sandy soils that have been exposed to physical disturbances such as grazing (Rocchio et al. 2012).
Environmental Description:  This alliance occurs on shifting sands of outer coastal dunes at sea level from California to Washington and likely into British Columbia and possibly Baja California. The climate is strongly maritime with many cloudy or foggy days and mild temperatures. Onshore winds typically transport abundant salt spray and sand. Substrates are entirely eolian sands without horizon development or accumulated organic material.
Geographic Range: This alliance occurs on shifting sands of outer coastal dunes and on disturbed sand deposits along shorelines from California to Washington and likely extends into British Columbia and possibly Baja California, Mexico.

Nations: CA?,MX?,US

States/Provinces:  BC?, CA, MXBCN?, OR, WA


Confidence Level: Low

Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNA

Greasons: No Data Available
Type Name Database Code Classification Code
Class 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class C02 2
Subclass 2.B Temperate & Boreal Grassland & Shrubland Subclass S18 2.B
Formation 2.B.4 Temperate to Polar Scrub & Herb Coastal Vegetation Formation F005 2.B.4
Division 2.B.4.Nb Pacific North American Coastal Scrub & Herb Vegetation Division D027 2.B.4.Nb
Macrogroup 2.B.4.Nb.90 North Pacific Coastal Ruderal Grassland & Shrubland Macrogroup M511 2.B.4.Nb.90
Group 2.B.4.Nb.90.a North Pacific Maritime Coastal Ruderal Dune Group G647 2.B.4.Nb.90.a
Alliance A2061 European Beachgrass Coastal Dunegrass Ruderal Grassland Alliance A2061 2.B.4.Nb.90.a
Association CEGL003006 European Beachgrass Ruderal Grassland CEGL003006 2.B.4.Nb.90.a
Association CEGL003373 European Beachgrass - Sandcarpet Ruderal Grassland CEGL003373 2.B.4.Nb.90.a
Concept Lineage: equivalent to A.1206

Predecessors: No Data Available

Obsolete Names: No Data Available

Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Ammophila arenaria (European beach grass swards) Semi-natural Stands (Sawyer et al. 2009) [42.010.00]
= Ammophila arenaria Herbaceous Semi-Natural Alliance (CNPS 2017) [42.010.00]
>< Leymus mollis - Holcus lanatus (Rochefort and Bivin 2010)
= European beach grass series (Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf 1995)
>< Northern Foredune Grassland (#21211) (Holland 1986b)
>< Northern Foredunes (#21210) (Holland 1986b)
>< Sparsely vegetated sand flats (Agee 1987)
>< Xeric grassland with shrub islands (Agee 1987)
Concept Author(s): J. Kagan and G. Kittel, in Faber-Langendoen et al. (2013)

Author of Description: M.E. Hall

Acknowledgements: No Data Available

Version Date: 09-26-14
  • Agee, J. K. 1987. The forest of San Juan Island National Historic Park. Unpublished report prepared by the University of Washington for the USDA National Park Service. Report CPSU/UW 88-1. 83 pp.
  • Barbour, M. G. 1970. The flora and plant communities of Bodega Head, California. Madroño 20:289-336.
  • Barbour, M. G., and A. F. Johnson. 1977. Beach and dune. Pages 223-261 in: M. G. Barbour and J. Major, editors. Terrestrial vegetation of California. Wiley-Interscience, reprinted 1988 by the California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
  • Barbour, M. G., and J. Major, editors. 1977. Terrestrial vegetation of California. John Wiley and Sons, New York. 1002 pp.
  • Boyd, R. S. 1992. Influence of Ammophila arenaria on foredune plant microdistributions at Point Reyes National Seashore, California. Madroño 39:67-76.
  • Buell, A. C., A. J. Pickart, and J. D. Stuart. 1995. Introduction history and invasion patterns of Ammophila arenaria on the north coast of California. Conservation Biology 9:1587-1593.
  • CNDDB [California Natural Diversity Data Base]. No date. Unpublished data files. California Natural Diversity Data Base, California Natural Heritage Division, Sacramento.
  • CNPS [California Native Plant Society]. 2015-2017. A manual of California vegetation [online]. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. [http://vegetation.cnps.org/].
  • Casavecchia, S., and E. Biondi. 2001. Phytosociological survey of northern California dunes. Plant Biosystems 135:351-361.
  • Duebendorfer, T. E. 1989. An integrated approach to enhancing rare plant populations through habitat restoration: II. Habitat characterization through classification of dune vegetation. Pages 478-487 in: H. G. Hughes and T. M. Bonnicksen, editors. Restoration ''89: The new management challenge. First Annual Meeting of the Society for Ecological Restoration. Society for Ecological Restoration, Oakland, CA.
  • Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, M. Hall, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, M. Russo, K. Schulz, L. Sneddon, K. Snow, and J. Teague. 2013-2019b. Screening alliances for induction into the U.S. National Vegetation Classification: Part 1 - Alliance concept review. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.
  • Holland, R. F. 1986b. Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial natural communities of California. Unpublished report prepared for the California Department of Fish and Game, Nongame-Heritage Program and Natural Diversity Database, Sacramento. 156 pp.
  • Kagan, Jimmy. Personal communication. Coordinator, Oregon Natural Heritage Program, Portland.
  • Keeler-Wolf, T., M. Schindel, and S. San. 2004. Point Reyes National Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco Water Department Watershed Lands, Mount Tamalpais, Tomales Bay, and Samuel P. Taylor State Parks. Appendix B. Point Reyes National Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and surrounding wildlands plant community classification and mapping project. Final report. California State Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento, CA.
  • King, J. L. 2004. Rancho Guadalupe Dunes [online]. In: Center for Natural Lands Management, Guadalupe, CA. [http://www.cnlm.org/cms/]
  • LaBanca, T. 1993. Vegetation changes at Clam Beach coastal dunes, between Mad River and Little River, Humboldt County, California. Master''s thesis, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA.
  • Pickart, A. J. 1997. Control of European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria) on the west coast of the United States. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium proceedings 1997. Concord, CA.
  • Pickart, A. J., and J. O. Sawyer. 1998. Ecology and restoration of northern California coastal dunes, Humboldt County, California. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.
  • Pickart, A., and M. Barbour 2007. Beach and dune. Chapter 6, pages 155-179 in: M. G. Barbour, M. G., T. Keeler-Wolf, and A. A. Schoenherr, editors. Terrestrial vegetation of California. Third edition. University of California Press, Berkeley.
  • Rocchio, F. J., R. C. Crawford, and C. C. Thompson. 2012. San Juan Island National Historical Park vegetation classification and mapping project. Natural Resource Report NPS/NCCN/NRR--2012/603. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 188 pp.
  • Rochefort, R. M., and M. M. Bivin. 2010. Vascular plant inventory of San Juan Island National Historical Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCCN/NRTR--2010/350. National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO.
  • Russo, M. J., A. Pickart, L. Morse, and R. Young. 2000. Element steward abstract for Ammophila arenaria [online]. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA.
  • Sawyer, J. O., T. Keeler-Wolf, and J. Evens. 2009. A manual of California vegetation. Second edition. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento CA. 1300 pp.
  • Sawyer, J. O., and T. Keeler-Wolf. 1995. A manual of California vegetation. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 471 pp.
  • Schmalzer, P. A., and G. R. Hinkle. 1987. Monitoring biological impacts of space shuttle launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base: Establishment of baseline. Technical memorandum 100982, NASA, John F. Kennedy Space Center, FL.
  • Walgren, M., L. Andreano, J. Beaulieu, S. Christopher, and C. Jackson. 2005. Resource inventory for Morro Strand State Beach. Unpublished report. California Department of Parks and Recreation, San Luis Obispo, CA.
  • Wiedemann, A. M. 1966. Contributions to the plant ecology of the Oregon coastal sand dunes. Ph.D. dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis. 255 pp.